Cowboys shuffling their backfield

IRVING, Texas -- Troy Hambrick is struggling. Richie
Anderson is hurting. And the Dallas Cowboys are going into the
make-or-break part of their schedule.

With a little of each in mind, Bill Parcells signed Adrian
Murrell on Wednesday to add more versatility to the Cowboys'
running game.

What exactly Murrell will add remains to be seen.

A 1,000-yard rusher from 1996-98, Murrell last played as a
backup for Washington in 2000. He came back this summer, spending
three weeks in training camp with Dallas because he wanted to play
for Parcells. He was told up front that he'd be released before the
opener because of salary-cap reasons, but to stay in shape because
he might be called back.

Murrell's style fits what the Cowboys need -- a hybrid of
bruising runner Hambrick and quick, outside-the-tackles back Aveion
Cason.

"I brought him in with the idea of getting him ready to play,"
Parcells said. "I hope to integrate him into the system and see
how it goes. I have an idea of what he was able to once do. And I
think there is a place for that if we can get back some version of
Adrian Murrell."

Murrell, 33, takes the roster spot of center Gennaro DiNapoli,
who was placed on injured reserve with a sprained right ankle that
could require surgery.

"Hopefully I can show something throughout this week that gives
them confidence to put me in and play," Murrell said. "I'm not
here to be featured. I'm just here to have an opportunity to get a
couple of snaps and do well when I get that opportunity."

Murrell comes in a few days after the Cowboys ran for just 60
yards in a 16-0 loss to Tampa Bay and a few days before Dallas
plays Washington. The Cowboys are 5-2, leading the NFC East. The
Redskins are the only team they play in November that currently has
a losing record.

Murrell provides someone who can replace Anderson's averages of
5.3 carries and 2.3 catches if he doesn't play Sunday.

Anderson was held out of practice Wednesday because of a muscle
problem near his shoulder that causes tingling in his hands. He's
listed as questionable.

But Anderson is a fullback; Murrell isn't. And Parcells said
that if Anderson plays, Murrell could be active, too.

So maybe Murrell was brought in to spur Hambrick.

After three seasons as Emmitt Smith's backup, Hambrick is
averaging just 3.2 yards per carry in his first chance to be the
featured back. Of his 137 carries, 24 have lost yards; that's the
highest total in the NFL.

He had only 25 yards against the Buccaneers, with no carries in
the second half. The Cowboys failed on five chances when facing
third- or fourth-and-1, a failure that can only partly be credited
to Tampa's defense.

As a team, Dallas is 11th in NFL at 124 yards per game. That
total, though, is a byproduct of the Cowboys having run more times
than all but one team, Carolina. Their average of 3.6 yards per
carry is better than only six teams.

"Is it as efficient as we'd like it to be? No," Parcells said.
"But is it a disaster? No. I don't think it has been."